You Get What You Need
by Captain Arbitrary
Summary: Mai wasn't exactly the most pleasant person in the world. Part of her problem was that she had always gotten whatever she wanted. But what if she didn't? Takes place three years after Avatar series finale. MaixAang.
1. Chapter 1

I'm experimenting with this pairing after reading a few other Maing stories. I'm a fan of Zutara and Taang, but I've always wondered what would happen if Mai and Aang got together. Here's my take on it.

I was debating publishing this early before working on the next chapter. Oh well, please review and tell me what you think! Title is subject to changing.

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of the characters. Except maybe Sebastian, but you can have him if you want?

* * *

Mai was a member of Fire Nation nobility, high society in general and a dispatched diplomat to the Earth Kingdom. And those were the only reasons she could think of to justify why she was on her way to the Palace to attend Fire Lord Zuko's banquet with his soon-to-be Fire Lady. Or so she assumed.

It had been three years since Ozai was dethroned, since Zuko became Fire Lord and since she was dumped by said Fire Lord. Mai was 18 now and, as far as she was concerned, had become a lot stronger since then, both physically and emotionally. No longer did things run according to plan for her. Her parents, although they never openly admitted this, were disappointed in her for losing favor with Zuko. It was an embarrassment to their entire lineage, under scrutiny by the other noble families of the once fearful Fire Nation. So in order to get away from the pressure of marrying a war general or some pompous old geezer on the Council, she gave up her noble lifestyle for a few years to become a diplomat to the Earth Kingdom. She wondered if she had really changed all that much since then.

"Perhaps," she mused to herself, "I'll find out for myself tonight."

She was currently being escorted to the Palace in a luxurious carriage. During her thought-provoking journey, she caught herself staring out the window to marvel at the familiar glow of torches from the Palace in the distance. Fortunately, before nostalgia could slap her in the face, she quickly lost interest. Just because she had been away for three years did not mean that she should start acting like a tourist.

More than anything, she wanted to prove to everyone at this banquet that there were no hard feelings left between her and Zuko. Everything that happened between them and Katara happened so quickly that the memories of that night had become a blur to her over the years. It probably helped that she barely had any time to mull about it. She figured that the same held true for them since if she, the victim, could barely remember, then they must have completely forgotten about it.

Mai glanced out the window again to see that they were nearly there. She would be dropped off at the Front Gate in a few moments, at which time she would flash her invitation to the guards and stroll up the courtyard and into the Palace foyer. Alone.

"No matter," she said out loud. "I wouldn't want to be seen with just anyone and start any unnecessary rumors. Besides, I can already imagine that people will be gossiping about me just for being Zuko's ex... Why am I doing this again?"

A thought suddenly occurred to her. She took this time to check to make sure she was wearing her garter on her right thigh, under her dress, which contained one of her most prized knives. She had acquired this particular knife during the war, when she defeated a group of Earthbending soldiers with Azula and Ty Lee. The reason she favored it was because it was the only knife she owned that wasn't worth an average person's weight in gold. It was a simple knife with a blotched carving along the edge of the blade that was illegible due to years of neglect and overuse, but she had taken it upon herself to sharpen it and bring it back to its former glory.

No, she was not planning to assassinate anyone, but she just felt more like herself when she carried at least one knife around with her, preferably three. It was the only way she could feel like an individual, especially in tedious circumstances such as this.

"We have arrived, milady." Her family's driver announced from the front seat as the carriage came to a screeching halt.

"Thank you, Sebastian." She murmured politely.

She patiently waited for one of the Palace guards to approach the carriage and open the door for her. Once he did, she cautiously held onto the handle of the door with one hand, while taking the hand of the guard in the other. Once she safely landed on the ground, she took a few steps forward and glanced back at the carriage as it drove away into the night.

_Kill me now, please._

"Welcome to the Palace, Lady Mai. No invitation is required to be shown for you, of course." The guard recited politely, forcing her to turn her attention back to the courtyard and the Palace beyond. "We have been expecting you. Please proceed up the path. If you require any assistance—"

"Thank you." Mai responded quickly, trying so hard not to snap at this poor man. She had heard all this bullshit before and it was all coming back to her. She didn't want to admit it, but her nerves were shot. Just standing there was seriously beginning to aggravate her.

"Very good, ma'am." He dipped his head as she nearly flew right past him.

It was an unusually cold evening in the Fire Nation capital. Luckily, she had prepared herself with long sleeves, which she preferred in any case. Mai was wearing red, traditionally. Her ankle-length dress accentuated her maturing figure and part of her right leg was exposed through a stylish cut that ran up to her knee. Above her waist she wore a crimson tunic and a black belt around her waist. Her black heels clicked against the cobblestone pavement. Her hair was still long, but she no longer kept the same hairstyle she wore years ago and her bangs were now parted on either side of her face. The wind, on the other hand, proved disastrous to her hair and it did not help that the walk from the gate to the double doors was longer than she would have liked. Not that she was in any hurry, of course.

Mai began to feel very awkward when she glanced around and realized that everyone had arrived at the banquet with dates. Husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends… She was all alone. Half of these people she barely recognized. It was not that she wanted a relationship right now, but she was beginning to think that it was a mistake to have gone stag.

Out of nowhere, everyone began to look up at the sky. A large, flying creature descended from untold heights and landed just before the doors of the palace. She recognized the creature and rider immediately. It hadn't occurred to her that perhaps Ty Lee and the others were waiting inside as well, especially if the Avatar was here.

To the amazement of everyone, Aang slid off Appa's tail as if it were nothing and brushed off his clothes. "Appa, stay outside and be a good bison, okay? I promise I'll bring you some leftovers!"

The Bison replied with a weary groan, as if they had been traveling for days, and flopped onto his side. Two guards rushed over to the gargantuan bison and began to panic when they realized that he had just squashed an array of carefully bred fire lilies. They feared what would happen if the Fire Lord saw the courtyard in such disarray. Mai simply raised an eyebrow at this as she passed. She knew that Zuko would not care about some stupid flowers. That's when Aang noticed her pass by out of the corner of his eye and caught up with her.

"Mai? Is that you?"

She turned towards him and wore a small smile. The fifteen year old Avatar had really grown in the past three years, and even surpassed her in height. "It's been a long time, Aang."

"It has! How have you been? I've heard you've been busy in Omashu." He asked casually, his voice deeper than she recalled. The two began to walk side-by-side as they engaged in conversation.

"Yes. This is the first time I've had time off in a while. The city is relatively peaceful; however, some of the surrounding areas are still reluctant to accept peace with the Fire Nation. It doesn't help that my family controlled Omashu during the war, so the people don't exactly trust me. But the situation is slowly improving as more people come to trust Zuko." She informed him, as if she were giving a report.

"I see. That's unfortunate… but Toph is really grateful for your help. She's got her hands full in Ba Sing Se as it is. I hope she, Sokka and Suki are here." He pondered aloud, deviating off the subject for a moment.

"They probably are." She nodded. Mai guessed that tonight they were going to announce Zuko and Katara's engagement, even though no formal announcement had been made. Zuko wouldn't hold such a lavish banquet if it were not for some important reason. Thus, she assumed that the entire gang had been invited. But she decided against sharing her theory with Aang for obvious reasons. Speaking of Aang… how did he feel about being here?

"Everyone's staring." Aang broke the silence with an awkward laugh. Mai looked around and saw that people were staring and whispering about her and the Avatar as they passed by.

"Well, you are the Avatar." She replied as-a-matter-of-factly.

"Indeed I am." He boasted playfully. "But they're staring at you, too."

"Then they all need to get a life." She sighed.

"Like you have?" He added, to her surprise. It didn't sound like sarcasm either.

"Do you see me gossiping about them?"

"No." He answered calmly. "What I mean is, you haven't been idly sitting by these past few years. You're out changing the world, like the rest of us. That's more than can be said for them."

She smiled at this, for reasons even she didn't fully understand. "Yeah… I guess you're right."

"Wow… you're smiling!" Aang thought aloud, before mentally scolding himself. _I shouldn't have said that…_

"What was that?" She glared daggers at him.

"Nothing." He answered innocently. "Hey, uh, don't take this the wrong way but since you and I came by ourselves, do you… want to walk in together? As friends."

"Isn't that what we're doing?" She raised an eyebrow at him as they approached the door. To be honest, she felt relieved at his suggestion. Normally, she would not care what others think, but that's easier said than done when you're a member of high society. Thus, she had two choices at this point: to look pathetic and lonely in front of everyone despite what she thought of herself, or to appear to have moved on. Of course, she didn't want people to think that she and Aang were a couple. That would just be _weird_. But being with a friend might help calm her nerves.

_Wait a minute... since when did we become friends?_

"Oh… yeah, you're right." He blushed a bit. "Sorry."

"Whatever, it's fine. Let's go. It's this way." She beckoned. This was going to be a long night.


	2. Chapter 2

This chapter is very long, I know. I honestly wasn't sure when to split it, so I just wrote like hell until I felt it was where it should be. Also I lost part of this chapter the first time I wrote it so that's why it has taken a week to get this out. I hope you enjoy it. :) Please review.

Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender or any of the characters.

* * *

"By the way, Mai, you look really nice." Aang acknowledged politely, though he truly meant that. He glanced at her from time-to-time to admire the way her bangs fell against the sides of her face and the color in the cheeks. She looked much more feminine than he remembered. He thought that made her seem more approachable.

They were currently making their way down a long corridor that led to the large dining hall, where the party was taking place. It seemed to take forever to reach the dining hall, but neither of them seemed to mind. Mai preferred the parties that were inside the Palace, that way she could easily sneak out for "fresh air" whenever she grew tired of the guests, which never took long.

"Thank you." Mai replied in the same manner, taking it as a simple compliment. "And you do as well. You've changed so much." She exchanged the same courtesy to him. She still couldn't believe that she was standing next to that annoying little kid from three years ago, except now he had grown significantly taller and slightly muscular with more defined facial features, but she also noticed that he still possessed some of his younger features such as his slenderized figure. And his voice was not quiet deep enough yet, but it was getting there.

"Physically, maybe..." He chuckled. "But you've _definitely_ changed." He added, implying something more.

"Oh?" She asked, slightly amused.

"Yeah, you seem more… light-hearted."

"Then it's a welcomed change…" She mused, still amused.

"Well, yes, it is." He remarked bluntly. "It was never this easy to talk to you before. Not that I knew you very well before."

"I suppose I've grown up a little by leaving the comforts of high society... People aren't as fortunate in the Earth Kingdom, even in Omashu." She remarked, drawing on her experiences. "And there simply isn't enough time for me to sit around and be bored. It's a constant battle to try and earn the people's trust."

"The war that was pushed by Ozai and the nobility hurt countless people. As the Avatar, I won't allow something like that to transpire again." Aang replied, drawing on his own experiences. "And don't be discouraged; everything begins with trust. I have a feeling that once each of the regions begin to see the changes that Zuko's trying to make, they'll cut him some slack. And if not... Well, that's why I'm here, isn't it?" He was serious, but for a moment it seemed as if he had reverted back to his childish nature.

"Well… as for the war, it won't escalate like that again. Zuko wouldn't want that. He wants peace." She reassured. "As do I."

The time that she and Zuko had spent growing up together reflected itself in how well she knew him. Even though they split up shortly after his crowning, she had seen him make the change for the better. During Ozai's reign she had never cared as much for politics and the boundaries between 'right and wrong,' but during and after her relationship with Zuko she came to realize that the world was much better off this way.

"You don't sound bitter about Zuko. Are you okay with this?" Aang asked, out of nowhere.

"It is what it is." She stiffened. "How about you?"

"If…" He paused for a moment, wondering if and how he should confide in Mai. "…Katara wants this life, what can I do? It's as you say."

"Indeed…" She seemed to want to say more, but trailed off as they approached their destination. Two guards stood waiting in front of the door. From the other side, the sounds of a thousand voices filled with laughter and chatter could be heard.

"Welcome, Lady Mai and Avatar Aang. Shall we announce your arrival to the court?" One of the guards suggested.

_NO!_

"Nah, this party is for _Fire Lord_ Zuko." Aang quickly chimed in. "We'll be on our way, if you don't mind."

Mai sighed contently, grateful to Aang for not attracting attention to themselves.

"Very well." The two guards bowed before they turned to open the door.

As the double doors slowly creaked open, the two former heroes laid their eyes on what appeared to be thousands of people packed in a large dining hall, eating and drinking merrily. Several large pillars decorated either side of the room, reaching high up into the ceiling. Balconies adorned with fire lily wreaths and candles covered the second floor, looking down upon the two thrones decorated in a similar manner, one of which sat the Fire Lord. The other was empty, but decorated just the same.

_Not for long._ Mai scoffed to herself. _This is definitely an engagement party._

"Ready?" Aang asked, looking straight ahead. Both of them had a feeling that they would be separated once they went inside.

"We'll be fine." She reassured him, glancing at him with a tiny smile. He smiled back at her and nodded before they proceeded inside.

Before Mai knew it, Aang was no longer at her side. She was on her own from here. Many people turned to greet her as she passed by, some of them surprised to see her, while others exchanged sympathetic looks. Not everyone was happy that the Fire Lord's girlfriend was an ordinary Water Tribe girl, albeit she was technically a "princess." While their potential union promoted peace, some people held strong opinions about a biracial relationship demoralizing the nationalists. In Mai's case, however, some people were disappointed simply because many of these people had known her and Zuko since childhood. Yet regardless of how well they knew her, or how well they thought they did, she didn't want their sympathy. It was humiliating.

_This is humiliating…_

"MAI!" A voice called out from behind a small group of people conversing with each other.

_Ty Lee._

The circus performer that she hadn't seen in a long time came crashing into her with a bone-crushing hug. Mai stiffened. She was not amused by her predictable behavior and gently shoved her off when given the chance.

"It's good to see you, Mai!" Ty Lee chimed, grinning from ear to ear. Mai noticed that she wasn't wearing her Kyoshi uniform at the moment.

"Don't do that again." She warned.

Mai noticed that she seemed to revert back to her former self when standing next to her former companion.

"Same old Mai…" The brunette began with a helpless grin. "How are you? Are you glad to see me? It's been SO long! And you're in the Earth Kingdom! How could you not visit us on Kyoshi!" She pouted.

"I'm sorry." Mai smiled a bit. "I know I should have. I'll see if I can make plans when I return to Omashu."

"Mai, your aura…" Ty Lee stared at her wide-eyed. "It's…"

"It's what?" She blinked.

"It's gray… but like, silver too. It's shimmering!"

"…What?" She raised an eyebrow. _Not this nonsense again._

"Did you meet a boy or something?" Ty Lee winked, nudging her arm.

"No, I haven't been seeing anyone." Mai replied swiftly.

"Oh… well who needs a man to make them happy anyway, am I right?" The circus performer grinned. Out of nowhere, a strapping young gentleman approached Ty Lee from behind and tapped her on the shoulder.

"May I have this dance?" He asked politely, his pearly whites glimmering. Mai hadn't noticed until now that there were a handful people dancing in the center of the room.

"Oh my gosh! With me?" Ty Lee batted her eyelashes as if this were the first time a boy had asked her out. Mai could do nothing but scoff at this idiotic display of affection. It seemed as though she had become the third wheel in less than ten seconds. As she turned to leave, Ty Lee glanced back at her and grabbed her by the arm. "Wait!"

The raven-haired young woman came to a halt as she watched her best friend turn towards the guy and politely reject him. She felt extremely guilty for this, although she would never openly admit it.

"Ty Lee, go. It's okay."

"No! I haven't seen you in so long. I'm not putting some guy above my friend!" Ty Lee recited as she let go of her friend.

"Mai?" A voice called out to her from behind. Ty Lee backed off a little when she saw who it was.

_Zuko…_

Mai cautiously turned around to face the attractive young Fire Lord whose hair had grown considerably longer these past three years. He stared at her as if she were an old friend he had not seen in many years, although he seemed a little tense.

"I'm glad you came. How have you been?" He began politely. She didn't respond at first but rather stared at him with uncertainly. The confrontation came sooner than she would have liked and was much more awkward than she had imagined it ever would be.

"I'll see you later, Mai!" Ty Lee added, trying not to interrupt the former lover's reunion. Mai sharply turned around to stop her from leaving, but Ty Lee gave her an encouraging look before she bounced away.

_Ty Lee…_

"Can I talk to you for a few minutes?" Zuko asked, staring at her intently. Mai became wary of his motives and blushed out of embarrassment when she realized that she was being stared at by several people.

"W-what's there to talk about?" She snapped in a hushed tone, cautiously taking a few steps back.

"Please…" He pleaded. She could see that he really meant it, even though she wasn't sure he deserved a moment of her time. "We both need this."

"…Very well, Fire Lord." She acknowledged, dipping her head in subservience. Zuko flashed her an irritated look but did not say anything as the two of them made their way out of the banquet hall. Mai looked around, half-hoping that Katara would rush over and peel him away from her, but the Waterbender was nowhere in sight. As they were about to leave, though, she finally caught sight of her talking to Aang near the punch table. They seemed to be conversing intensely about something.

Zuko and Mai made their way out of the dining hall and onto a large balcony overlooking the city skyline. It was even colder at this higher altitude. With a flick of his hand, the couples who had been loitering outside were shooed away. This only seemed to irritate Mai more.

"What's this about?" She folded her arms. "Are you out of your mind?"

"Well, so much for your fealty. What happened to 'Fire Lord Zuko'?" He joked half-heartedly, mimicking her mocking tone from before.

"Cut the crap! I'm serious!" She sharply turned away from him in a huff. She was not at all amused.

He closed his eyes. Her guard was up and he knew why, so he decided to be as straightforward as possible about this. He knew this was going to be uncomfortable for both of them, but it had to be done.

"Let them say whatever they want. Katara knows we're out here." He began softly. "So you don't have to worry about what my fi- …girlfriend thinks." He mentally cursed himself, having given himself away on the last part.

"I get it." Mai replied smugly, out of nowhere. "You two planned this, didn't you? You didn't want to publicly propose to her without settling things with me."

She wasn't looking at Zuko, but she was assured of this by his silence.

"And she's with Aang right now." She added.

"Yes."

"To be honest, I didn't intend to be confronted by you like this. Although I suppose I didn't intend for a lot of things to happen…" She decided to enter into the conversation civilly, with a hint of sarcasm lingering towards the end. She didn't fully understand why she felt so embittered after such a long time.

"…."

"What's the matter? You wanted to talk." Mai turned towards him with a darkened stare.

"I'm _truly sorry_, Mai." He dipped his head, wary of looking her in the eye at first, though he quickly overcame this irrational fear and decided gave her the attention she deserved. "For everything I've done that has hurt you in some way. I brought you out here to apologize to you and-"

"-You're _truly sorry_?" She mimicked. She was growing more hostile by the minute, though she wanted to scold herself for letting her emotions get the best of her.

"Yes. I am sorry." He reiterated. "But I want you to understand that my apology doesn't change anything."

This set her off immediately. The last thing she wanted was him telling her to deal with it and move on, which she clearly has been doing for the past three years. "You don't have to tell me, Zuko! I'm well aware of the circumstances. I know my place, and I won't interfere if that's what you're worried about." She replied hastily, hoping that she covered every loose end.

"I love Katara more than anything and you could say we're already engaged. This national banquet is being held so that we can announce it to the public." He informed, his voice grown cold.

"That's nice for you and all. If you're done, then I'd like to go back inside. …It's _cold _out here." She answered warily. "And I don't need a lecture from you. I'm perfectly capable of looking out for myself."

"You're right, Mai…" He reluctantly admitted. This was going to be a lot harder than he thought. All he wanted was for her to forgive him and for them to remain on friendly terms, but he was beginning to realize that he may be asking too much of her. "And I know you wouldn't interfere even if I had left you alone, but Katara and I promised that we would not be formally engaged without closure on both ends. We want closure for ourselves, as well as for you and Aang."

"How considerate of you and Katara, thinking of others…" She muttered, staring absently out towards the city skyline. "But I like to think that Aang and I can take care of ourselves." She meant that individually, although she surprised herself when she coupled herself with Aang in the same situation.

"You've spoken with him about this, I assume?" Zuko asked, his curiosity piqued. "I saw you two come in together."

"Not really." She sighed, turning towards him again. She also didn't want Zuko pushing her on another guy. "I barely know the guy. We were enemies before we were ever friends, if you can even call us that now."

"I was too, you know; but meeting _them_ changed me." He openly admitted. He wanted her to understand, on some level, how and why things changed—how and why _he_ changed.

"In more ways than one, apparently." She glared.

"…."

His softened gaze had slowly transformed into a glare during their conversation and he was beginning to run out of things to say. Although he was biting back the urge to snap back at her, he was clearly becoming irritated by her snide remarks here and there and even she caught herself saying them from time-to-time. It wasn't helping her situation, and she almost wanted to apologize for acting this way. She knew she was being selfish and immature. On the other hand, she also knew that he didn't deserve the luxury of her patience.

"What do you want, Zuko? My forgiveness? You _cheated_ on me, remember?" Secretly, she was only just starting to remember it herself as she vividly began to picture in her mind the night when she entered the courtyard, looking for Zuko, when she found him lip-locked with this _other_ woman. The verbal exchanges between all three of them were still fuzzy in her mind, but let's just say that she lost a few good knives that night.

_Unfortunately_, she recalled, _my aim was slightly off._

"I know I don't deserve your forgiveness." He admitted, though his blood began to boil underneath his collected exterior. "But you could at least hear what I have to say, instead of fluctuating between angry and bored every time I open my mouth! Oh, but I guess that's typical of you in any situation." He hissed, letting his temper get the best of him. It reminded her of that trip they took a long time ago to Ember Island with Azula and Ty Lee. They all said some things that she naively thought that they didn't really mean that day, but she must have given her friends a little too much credit.

"Like you have a right to be angry with me! You're the one who got what you wanted in the end, Zuko, _**not me**_. And thank you both for pretending to look out for me when you two only seem to care about covering up for yourselves! Yes, I'm not the most reasonable person in the world and I have my flaws, but I **NEVER** deserved what you put me through! So you can _**stuff**_ your closure and your half-hearted apologies, you stupid jerk! How's this for closure? Am I emotional enough for you yet!" She had raised the tone of her voice to the point where she was practically screaming. She knew why Zuko made sure that nobody else was out here to witness this. "And how dare you even claim to know me at all!"

Mai was clearly embarrassed and flustered. Truthfully, she felt really guilty with how she acted all those years ago. She knew that she took many things for granted, including him, and in some ways it's no wonder her cheated on her… Of course, she wasn't about to admit this either.

"…I had hoped that we could have become civil with each other someday." Zuko sighed, taking a step back after realizing that their conversation had gotten a little out of control. "Perhaps even friends again. I truly care about you, I just wish you would see that!"

"Well I guess that's just one more thing you ruined for yourself." Her voice had grown cold, as well as her gaze as she turned to leave. She no longer wanted anything to do with this man, and certainly not his fiancé. Perhaps she had gotten the closure she wasn't sure she wanted or needed, but what was clear to her that their childhood friendship with Zuko had most certainly come to an end.

Mai slammed the glass door on her way out and marched down the long corridor in a boiling rage. She was almost surprised she didn't wind up doing something_ really_ stupid like crying or pouring her heart out, feelings that she had suppressed for many years. She was proud of herself for simply letting her anger get the best of her.

On her way back to the dining hall she passed Katara without sparing more than a cold glance. It was obvious that she was on her way to report to Zuko how Aang took the news of the engagement. _Not well_, she guessed. In the brief moment she glanced at Katara, she could tell that she looked really upset over breaking the news to Aang.

When she passed by the future Fire Lady, she did not turn back to see Katara staring after her as she made her way back to the party. All she could think of was how much of a mistake it was to come.

* * *

"How ya holding up, twinkle toes?" Toph patted Aang roughly on the back, trying in her own way to cheer him up. The Airbender had excused himself from the party and was hanging out in the corridor leading to the entrance with his former Earthbending teacher. They were sitting on the plush hallway carpet off to the side, absently watching members of the Fire Nation nobility stroll past them.

"I should be happy for Katara, I should be congratulating her for finding true happiness in life. I should be happy for Zuko, too, since he's also a close friend of mine. But I just can't let her go…" He admitted sorrowfully. "She's the love of my life, Toph."

"Funny thing, love. It's the greatest and worst thing in the world." The fifteen year-old Earthbender reminisced aloud even though she had never experienced it herself. "But it's also fleeting for some people, and clearly it was for Sugar Queen. Look... she was honest with you even though she was initially scared, and I know it hurts a lot now even though you've been apart for a few years, but you need to forget about Katara already and move on with your life! Seriously! It's not healthy to depend on something that just wasn't meant to be."

He groaned at what she had to say and brought his knees up to his chest, resting his forehead on top of his knee caps. Toph always had a way of being hard on him even when he felt at his lowest, but she was truly concerned that Aang had been holding onto the hope of getting back together with Katara for far too long. He needed to move on for his own sanity.

"How can I forget about her when I'm still involved with promoting peace in the world, which involves both Zuko and now Katara? I can't imagine how it will be always seeing them together…" He admitted shamefully, but he knew this to be true because of how frequently he traveled between the three nations for peace talks. He knew that he would encounter them together a lot. Even the prospect of attending their wedding or watching them start a family would tear him apart because he wanted those things with her and he still, after three years, couldn't see why she didn't. He knew that Zuko was older and more attractive than he was, but he never thought that Katara would leave him for all that. "It'll destroy me…"

"Moving on doesn't mean never seeing them again. I know it sounds easy to just run away from everything, but you've got to face the facts at some point." Toph advised as she absently chewed her fingernails and spit the nails out of her mouth. "And you _will_ move on, you won't feel like this forever. Trust me."

He nodded, trying to find the right words. It helped that he had someone to lean on, but he couldn't get over feeling like he was twelve again. He wanted to run away, no matter how selfish or immature it seemed. It just felt right to want to wish everything away. Toph made getting over Katara sound so easy, but he couldn't see how it ever would be.

"I feel so stupid…" He admitted reluctantly.

"You are being kind of stupid." She smirked, rising to her feet. "Cheer up already! Come on, Sokka's waiting for us inside. Why don't we join him and the others? It'll be good for you."

"Thanks, but I'll pass." He smiled weakly. "I think I need to be alone for a while."

"Suit yourself." She shrugged. "But come back soon, alright? Everyone wants to see you before you take off again."

Aang did not glance back at her as she disappeared down the long corridor. He was too consumed in his own thoughts to see anything clearly. Eventually, he rose to his feet and proceeded in the opposite direction of the party. He didn't want to be in or anywhere near the audience when Zuko made the announcement of their engagement, and at the moment he didn't care whether or not he was being a poor friend.

He could still vividly remember the day when Katara confronted him about her feelings and broke his heart. It crushed him, but what had hurt him even more was that she hid from him her growing relationship with the Fire Lord until a few months later. Sokka and Toph helped him through it as much as they could; especially Sokka, who was not too thrilled over his sister's choice. But Aang knew that he had been suffering for far longer than their patience would allow, so he kept a lot of this to himself. It was only by being here tonight that the dulling pain of losing her began to sting again.

He wiped some stray tears from his eyes with his orange sleeve. In comparison to Zuko, he felt that he was not the man Katara deserved. He was the Avatar, the savior of the world, but he was still a child underneath it all. Eventually the tears in his eyes ran cold and he looked dead on the outside. He knew he was betraying his friends' happiness, but he needed to get out of the Palace to clear his head. He didn't want anyone to see him like this.

He slipped past a few people and a number of guards on his way out. He could see from a distance that Appa was right where he left him, and he smugly thought to himself that maybe Appa and Momo were the only ones who truly cared about him, even though Momo was living at the Southern Air Temple now with his mate and their offspring. Aang knew better than that though and shook the thought out of his mind. Feeling sorry for himself and belittling his friends wouldn't change anything, it was only going to cause him more pain.

On his way out the door, Aang thought about heading to the Western Air Temple to meditate on his feelings and see if he could detach himself from Katara once in for all. But he also felt torn over what Toph was trying tell him about not running away from his problems. Before he made a decision, he figured that he would ask Appa his opinion on all of this. His extremely large and furry companion always had a certain way with comforting the young boy, even when nobody else could.

Yet as he drew closer to his oldest friend, he realized that Appa wasn't sitting alone and grew threatened at the prospect of someone bothering his bison. He rushed over to see who it was and to his amazement, it was Mai, of all people, who was sitting stiffly next to Appa. It appeared as though she was waiting for someone and Appa didn't seem to mind her presence.

* * *

Mai decided that the world could think what they wanted about her for all she cared. She was leaving, even though she knew that Sebastion would not be back for a few hours. Maybe she was being irrational, maybe she was letting her emotions get the best of her, but running away seemed to be the most feasible option at this point. If she had to wait outside in the cold for a few hours, then so be it.

When she emerged from the Palace, she glanced around anxiously, wondering what she should do next. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea, after all.

_No._ She argued with herself. _It's better than being in the Palace right now._

But in all honesty, she wasn't too sure of herself. At a loss for ideas, she sat on a nearby bench and decided to wait out the next few hours in the courtyard. It was peaceful, the air was clean and it was quiet, although this strange sound of heavy breathing was distracting her from thinking clearly.

When she finally turned around and, from a distance, locked eyes with this large creature, she remembered that this... thing was waiting out here for Aang.

_Appa… was it?_

It freaked her out a little when she noticed that this Appa was staring intently at her from afar.

"What are you looking at?" She glared at him. Appa groaned in response as if he were unable to move from his spot even though he was just being lazy. Her gaze softened when she realized that he was probably friendly. But she wasn't about to walk over to the creature either and risk getting mauled.

"Aang is still inside. I'm sorry, but you'll have to wait a few more hours…" She reassured him. She felt a little sorry for the creature and spoke gently to him, even though she thought he couldn't understand her.

Appa responded to her by smashing his tail against the ground. She was close enough to him that the impact almost made her jump out of her skin and pull out her knives, but luckily she restrained herself. Still, she didn't appreciate his attitude.

"What was that for!" She stood up, scolding the creature.

Appa opened his mouth and yawned, rolling over onto his back as he rolled around to pass the time.

"You look bored." She raised an eyebrow.

He gazed intently at her even while upside-down and continued to move his legs around in a playful manner. She felt uncomfortable with the way he was watching her until she realized that maybe he wanted something.

"Do you… want something from me?" She asked aloud. If anyone were around to hear her, they might think she was crazy for conversing with a ten-ton flying bison. She thought she was crazy for going along with this.

Appa responded to this by rolling back onto his stomach and nudging his head to the side. He blew a gust of wind out of his nostrils that made the back of her dress flare up as she approached him cautiously, taking a seat at his side. She looked up at him, realizing how insignificant she looked beside him, though the gargantuan creature looked content to have her there.

"I guess you were lonely…" She whispered softly, sitting stiffly beside him. She wasn't about to get too comfortable next to him.

"I wish I had never come here tonight." She began, thinking to herself that conversing with Appa might be easier than relying on other people. It was never easy for her to open up to others, but at least this creature wouldn't judge her.

Appa silently listened to what she had to say, though he appeared to be dozing off next to her.

"Zuko changed so much after he started journeying with you and your friends. I guess that's when he and that Waterbender became so close… I wasn't even there for him when he faced Azula or when it looked like there was no hope left against Ozai. It wasn't my fault for not being there, but if I had been, then maybe we'd still be together?" Mai toyed with the possibilities of what could have been, even though she knew that clinging to the past wouldn't do any good. Tonight made her realize that confronting Zuko again only seemed to add to the pain. She grew silent from then on, wondering if anything could ever be salvaged between them again.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't realize that Aang was approaching them until he was practically standing next to her.

When she looked up at him, he looked as hopeless and gloomy as she did, but also extremely curious as to why she was sitting next to his bison.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"Nothing!" Mai snapped out of her daze. She instantly shot up, wondering how she was going to explain all of this. "He wanted me to sit next to him, alright? I'm sorry!" She turned to leave, but he stopped her from doing so when he accidentally grabbed her wrist.

"Wait, don't go! Appa wouldn't just let anyone sit next to him." He informed, hoping that he could convince her to stay. He could see that she looked just as confused as he did, and he realized that maybe she had spoken with Zuko. She looked surprised at his reaction and when he realized what he had done he let her go. "Please don't go?"

She thought about it for a moment, thinking that she didn't have anywhere else to go, so she turned towards him with a fragile smile and nodded when he motioned her to sit back down. They both sat in silence for a while until Appa released a giant yawn in their direction.

"Someone needs a breath mint." Mai winced, waving the contaminated air out of her face.

Appa groaned and Aang took this opportunity to wander over to his giant companion. He reassured the sensitive flying bison by gently patting his side. "Aww, don't feel bad, buddy, she didn't mean it!"

"I did, actually." She insisted.

Appa smashed his tail against the ground again and she glared at him as Aang burst out laughing.

"You spoil him." She closed her eyes, smiling a little. "He's so demanding."

"Appa can't help it. He likes being the center of attention." Aang smiled back at her, absently scratching the side of his bison. Appa responded to this by rolling over onto his side and yawning again.

After a moment or two, Mai turned her gaze toward the garden again, staring absently at all the beautiful flowers and statuettes. Her mind began to drift back to everything that had happened and she wondered whether or not she should confide in Aang. After all, they were both going through the same thing.

"I saw you and Katara." She murmured as she glanced down at her feet, brushing her bangs out of her eyes. "Zuko pulled me aside too."

"He did?"

"Yes. They had planned to talk to us privately before they were going to make an announcement." She informed, her gaze grown cold.

"I see. They didn't want us to have any hard feelings." His eyes went downcast.

"Don't give them any gratitude for it. It's only so they don't have to feel guilty over what they did." She replied bitterly, absently adjusting the knives under her sleeves.

"I know how you feel, but resenting them for it only makes the pain worse." He answered softly, though he felt reluctant for letting his detachment get in the way of his true emotions. "It's hard but we'll have to forgive them for it if we want to move on with our lives."

"I will never forgive him!" She snapped. "Or her, for that matter! I don't care if you're her friend… she took everything from me. Even my parents don't…" She began, but stopped herself. Aang could sense the deep wounds that she carried within her. Instead of trying to convince her otherwise, he simply sat down beside her. Neither of them said anything to each other for a while.

"I'm sorry." He began, lowering his head apologetically. He didn't want to start sounding like Toph. "I know it's not as easy as it sounds."

She stared at him silently from behind the veil of hair covering her eyes.

"It's so hard sometimes that I don't know what to do with myself. Without Katara, I feel so alone. I think the hardest part is accepting that we are just friends after all we've been through together." He admitted. "Same with you and Zuko, huh?"

"Yeah…" She exhaled deeply. "But I've been so busy these past few years that I haven't thought about it all that much. Just feeling this way again is overwhelming."

"Yeah…" He closed his eyes, sitting in a comfortable silence beside her. Neither of them wanted to go back inside, but Aang was beginning to toy with Toph's suggestion of hanging out with Mai and his friends. Still, even after he had gone over it several times in his head, it still didn't sound like the best way for either of them to deal with their problems.

"You know…" Aang began as he sat beside his former enemy. "We shouldn't be out here. It's not right to run away from our problems." He recited painfully.

"Then let's go somewhere else." Mai suggested in all seriousness.

"Somewhere else?" He looked surprised.

"Far away." She flashed him a pleading gaze. "Anywhere but here. …I don't think there's any shame in running away."

He couldn't find the right words to say to her so instead he stared at her for a long time.

"Even if it's the most irrational decision you've ever had to make." She continued, trying to convince him. "I don't think either of us wants to be here tonight, and neither of us has anywhere to go. So what do you say?"

He quickly stood up and turned towards her.

"…I'm not sure about running, but how do you feel about flying?" He smiled, reaching out his hand for hers. She hesitated for a moment before she reached out for his, allowing him to help her to her feet. It felt right, even though she didn't fully understand why, and the pulsating sensations of excitement began to tug at her for the first time in a very long time.

"Even better." She smiled back at him. "Where to?"


	3. Chapter 3

Finals are over, and back to the keyboard I go! I hope you enjoy this. :)

Disclaimer: Do not own.

* * *

Aang had told her to hold on. If only she had listened to him instead of casually leaning against the right side of Appa's saddle.

"You know I wasn't going to let you fall." Aang informed her with a smirk, despite sitting a noticeable distance away from her on Appa's head.

Mai irritably blew a few strands of hair out of her mouth as she nervously clung to the saddle's handle.

"I nearly fell off!" She practically yelled above the strong gusts of wind as they flew up to a higher altitude in the sky. "If there hadn't been a small barrier in back of Appa's saddle, I could have died!"

"We would have gone after you! Besides, I'm an Airbender, remember?" He grinned confidently. He couldn't help but laugh at her skeptical gaze. "I've fallen off Appa's saddle loads of times, and he's _always_ come back for me. Right, boy?" Aang patted Appa's head, earning a satisfied groan from the flying bison.

Mai simply folded her arms at this, until another strong gust of wind almost caught her off guard and she clung to the saddle once more.

"Once we get up high enough, past the clouds, Appa will fly straight ahead so you don't have to hold on like that." He reassured her, looking straight ahead. "Yip-yip!"

"Past the clouds…?" She blinked. How far up were they going?

Mai could barely see a thing once they entered into a dense, foggy maze of clouds. Small, misty rain droplets caressed her face, even though the night sky had been relatively clear from the Palace. But when they emerged from the chain of clouds, Mai gasped as she beheld a _completely_ clear starry night sky. From this height, it was more beautiful than she could have ever imagined.

"There!" He announced, rising from his seat. "We're good. Appa and I don't want to be frozen for another hundred years, so we avoid any storm clouds we see."

"A hundred years…" She marveled, still captivated by the night sky.

Aang climbed over the saddle and some of his tightly secured things as he drifted over to her. He couldn't help but smile at the expression on her face, full of wonder and excitement. He almost felt bad that he took such things as the sight of the night sky for granted.

"You know…" He began, breaking her concentration as she turned towards him. He took a seat beside her, folding his knees up to his chest. "I… uh, I thought you'd get bored really quickly."

"How could I grow bored that quickly when I was nearly killed?" Mai replied, greatly exaggerating. "But you're right… it seems I've surprised myself too."

"I wouldn't let that happen." He gazed at her intently. "Trust me."

"I do." She smiled a little, but looked a bit embarrassed for saying so. "I mean… well, I'm flying a long way off the ground with you on your bison. So, I... I guess I do." She paused. She still wasn't sure what trust really meant, especially between the two of them. "Anyway, where are we going again?"

"I don't know." Aang answered casually, allowing his legs to fall into a lotus position. "Do you want me to take you back to the Earth Kingdom?"

"Not really." Mai answered quickly, rubbing her arm bashfully. "I don't want to go back to my boring life just yet… And there's nothing for me in the Fire Nation."

"Good! 'Cause I want to show you something!" He looked excited. She raised an eyebrow at this. "It's a surprise though."

"Oh? And how long will it take to get there?" She asked skeptically.

"Hmmm… North, South, East or West?" He asked abruptly.

"What?"

"Just pick one, quick!" He urged.

"Uhm… South?"

"Good choice! If we hurry, we can make it there by tomorrow morning." He announced, quickly rising to his feet. "You hear that, buddy?" He called out to his faithful companion before allowing Mai to intervene.

Appa let out a groan and quickly picked up speed. Mai found herself clinging the saddle once more as Aang effortlessly walked back to the 'front seat.'

"The Western Air Temple would have been a better choice, but it's a good thing you didn't chose one of the others… we might be flying for a few days." He admitted bashfully.

"A few days! Can't I take it ba—"

"Nope." Aang grinned.

* * *

Mai ended up dozing off sometime during the night on Appa's saddle, while Aang stayed awake the entire night. She was huddled up in one of Aang's spare blankets to rid herself of the cold, trusting Aang's judgment that he would go after her should she fall off somehow. That was only one of two reasons why Aang decided to stay awake all night. The other reason was that he never liked leaving Appa to "do all the work," especially if they went under attack or if they got lost. But Aang and Appa knew the way to the Southern Air Temple by heart. After all, it was their home for the first twelve years of their lives.

As soon as sunlight began to peak through the Patola mountain range over the horizon, Aang let out a lethargic yawn and gently snapped the reins of his giant companion, signaling for him to descend once they were within range. In the meantime, Aang took a moment to stretch his limbs before glancing back at _sleeping beauty_, whose back was turned away from him.

"Mai! It's time to wake up!" He called out to her. Appa emitted a low groan as well.

Mai flinched at the sound of their voices, letting out a weary groan. She was definitely NOT a morning person. She hated everything about the morning—that weird taste in your mouth, that sense of reluctance to pull the covers off, and the overall lethargic feeling of being awake. Sleeping on a bison's saddle didn't help much either.

"Sorry to wake you so early, but I really want you to see this view!" Aang answered her groan intuitively.

"It's fine." She murmured, even though it really wasn't. Mai figured that whatever was there for her to see could wait.

When she turned around, propping herself up with one arm, all she could see were the faint glimmers of sunlight through a misty fog. She figured they were flying within some sort of mountain range and confirmed this when Appa sharply flew to his right, barely dodging a small mountain peak. She instinctively clung to her blanket and the saddle's handle again.

"Careful, buddy…" Aang patted his bison's head, oblivious to the fact that Mai had nearly fallen off again. "I guess we descended a little too early."

"So much for promising to catch me…" She muttered bitterly. _That is the last time I sleep on your bison!_

"Are you okay, Mai?" He called out to her.

"If I had fallen off and you waited till now to ask me that, we wouldn't be having this conversation." She glared.

"There it is." He smiled, ignoring her previous comment. "And I told you to trust me, remember?"

Mai scoffed at his lax attitude, but had to admit that the scenery was impressive. Adjacent towers that looked like mountains themselves stood as the crowning centerpiece of this deep and misty valley. She assumed that this was one of the Air temples she had read about in Fire Nation history, practically destroyed during Sozin's War.

"Is this…?" She whispered.

"Yes. This is my home." He answered nostalgically. "The Southern Air Temple."

* * *

"Why did we come here?" She asked abruptly as she effortlessly slid down Appa's tail.

"Why not?" He grinned, rising from the floor after jumping off the beast's head.

"It's just a bunch of ruins now, though…" She answered. "But, it's nice at the same time, quiet even… with no people around." She beamed.

"Thought you'd like that." He smirked, pulling out his staff.

"You seem to know me very well." She smiled, casually surveying the half-exposed ceiling of the shrine.

"Actually, I really like it here too. I come here a lot to meditate. And also…"

"Shh! There's someone here!" She assumed a defensive position, hands on her wrists. Aang turned around sharply once he caught sight of a shadow approaching, but quickly let his guard down as soon as he remembered who it was.

"MOMO!" He called out. "Is that you?"

"What are you—" Mai flinched when she felt something perch itself on her shoulder.

"There you are." Aang beamed, staring at Mai, or rather her shoulder. "How's the family?"

Mai turned her head to her left and locked eyes with the comical, purring lemur. She gritted her teeth and quickly nudged the creature off of her, who flew straight for Aang's head and hissed at her once he landed.

Aang couldn't help but laugh at Mai's irritated expression. "You two get along now, okay?"

"We'll see…" She glared at the flighty creature.

"So what do you want to do first?" He offered her to choose as Momo began making faces as Mai. She ignored his childish gesture and turned her attention back to Aang.

"What is there to do here, exactly?"

"I'm glad you asked." He beamed. "How about a game of Air Ball?"

"Air… Ball? It doesn't sound like I'll be able to play." She pointed out.

"True, but you're not alone." He joked. _I am though…_ His smile instantly faded.

Aang's gaze faltered as he turned to lead the way. She intuitively picked up on the heavy air surrounding him and tried to peer over his shoulder to see what was wrong, but it was clear to her that he didn't want her to see this side of him. Another thing that was bothering him is that this place reminded him so much of Katara and Sokka, but mostly Katara. He had shown her the ins and outs of this temple too. Mai was different, he reasoned, but he secretly hoped that he wasn't simply looking to her for comfort.

"You're not alone." She whispered, snapping him out of his daze. He stopped short where he was, as did Mai who had been trailing behind him. She took a step back, hoping that he wouldn't be angry with her for saying so. "Well, you are… but so am I in some ways." She tried to comfort him.

"Thank you." He smiled half-heartedly, closing his eyes.

"And I'd love to watch you play, even with your rat with wings." She joked, trying to cheer him up while taking a stab at that nasty creature. Momo cocked his head to the side quizzically as Aang stifled a grin.

"You hate my pets, don't you?" He asked outright.

"They're growing on me." Mai admitted. "Even you, a little." She acknowledged the lemur.

Momo flew to her head this time and perched himself there, looking at her upside-down. She moved her hand to swat him away, but he persistently remained there, eventually removing his head so that she could see.

"Fine…" She sighed. "You win."

Aang beamed at the sight of them getting along with each other, even if it was short-lived.

* * *

Mai stood contently on the highest plateau of the Southern Air Temple, watching the sun set in the West. The ripples of clouds in the sky complemented its darkening reddish and orange hues. The absence of life here made it all the more appealing to her, although given to circumstances for such a cause, she would rather the opposite hold true.

She sighed as she absently leaned against a crumbled pillar behind her, sinking down into a seated position. She almost felt guilty for being here because she was Fire Nation, but Aang had reassured her earlier that the monks, with their reverence for all life, would have treated her well regardless. He also told her that he didn't mind that they were enemies once and that he was glad she was here with him. But she still didn't understand how one person, let alone an entire race of people, could have been so forgiving. Mai knew she could never learn to be like that, but she digressed.

_You would think that I've never seen a sunset before in my life… _She closed her eyes shamefully, but soon reopened them again. Every time she did, it almost didn't seem real.

There was something about the wind in this place that made the sky seem closer. Perhaps it was the temple's high altitude with its strengthening winds, or the fact that those winds pushed the clouds back and forth whenever it changed direction, or even how the wind carried itself throughout the temple, making eerie and hollow sounds through its lifeless hallways. Whatever the reason, Mai felt relaxed and contemplative up here, something she didn't feel in the proud and boisterous Earth Kingdom or the powerful, yet stable Fire Nation.

Needless to say, it was beautiful up here, just as it had been the last two nights they were there. Neither of them intended to stay that long, but the isolation and tranquility of this place seemed to appeal to them both on some level. Unfortunately, Aang announced that their supplies were running low and that they would have to leave by tomorrow morning. Mai agreed, wanting to take a well needed shower.

He proposed that they could stop at the Southern Water Tribe to resupply and perhaps even go penguin sledding together, which Mai wasn't entirely thrilled about. The Southern Water Tribe reminded her too much of a _certain person_, and penguin sledding sounded more dangerous than fun. So she proposed that they would make for Kyoshi Island instead, and she figured that Ty Lee would be happy to see her. Mai thought about returning to Omashu again afterwards, but whenever the thought occurred to her, she shook it out of her mind.

Even though there wasn't much left of this place anymore, Aang had taken it upon himself to explain all of the Airbenders' customs, traditions and recreational activities. He even showed her how to play in the Air Ball arena, though she could see he felt badly simply playing by himself. Probably the most amazing thing she had seen here was the room with all the statues of past Avatars.

_Speaking of Aang…_ she thought. _He should have been back by now. _

She had gotten used to this routine of him disappearing for a while to meditate, which she didn't mind. He would always come back before nightfall to guide her through the dark hallways of the temple to their campsite, and she always waited in the same place. But it would be dark very soon…

Mai decided that rather than wait up here, when it will be too dark too see anything, she would look for him instead. She stood up from her spot on the floor and said goodbye to her favorite place. She passed many rows of pillars on her way back inside, noticing the growing shadows that were cast upon them. She knew she would have to exercise caution, even though it was probably safe.

The worst part about this temple was the long corridors inside every spiral tower. There were several of them, and she still had trouble discerning the correct path to take. Aang also told her that some of the staircases were crumbling from old age and that she could navigate safely through them if she had enough sunlight to see. In the old days, she figured that there had been torches to light the way.

"It's really creepy in here…" She whispered.

She sharply turned around at the sound of flapping wings and high-pitched screams. Bats, she figured. Mai stiffened at the faltering noise and continued down the spiral staircase.

When she made it down the length of this tower, she sighed contently. She sort of had an idea of where she was now, and if her guess was right, she would wind up in the main foyer.

Parts of the temple were exposed to the outside, such as a bridge connecting two towers together. She stumbled upon one such bridge and carefully avoided a crumbling patch of stone thanks to the beams of lingering sunlight. She was in the main tower now, her clicking heels echoing in the large chamber. She began to descend a similar staircase, noticing that the stairs did not wrap around in a spiral but ended on another platform.

"Aang…" Mai called out cautiously, almost in song. He never told her where he went to meditate, so she honestly had no idea where to look.

She let out a soft gasp as she felt a block of stone chip off beneath her. Before it fell down to the sanctuary below her, she jumped forward to avoid losing her footing and fell to her knees. The weight of her landing proved to be too much for the staircase as it began to crumble. She could feel it crumbling around her and crawled towards the nearest platform between steps. She nearly reached it when the flooring gave way and collapsed. She lunged forward and grasped the edge of the stable platform, holding on to it for dear life. She looked down where the crumbled staircase had fallen and only saw darkness.

Mai, petrified, called out for Aang again as she tried to pull herself up. She gritted her teeth together as she swung her legs to and fro, gaining momentum to try and lift herself up to the platform, but her fingers began to burn from holding onto the smooth surface for far too long.

Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. She managed to lift her leg up to her chest and with one hand reached down to grab the knife from her garter. Mai figured that if she could get her larger knife, she might be able to use it to help prop herself up. She grasped its handle, but she couldn't hold on with just one hand and carelessly lost her grip.

She screamed as she fell, losing her knife in the process. Her screams echoed through the tower with the wind ripping right through her until she landed roughly on her side onto some hard surface. All she could hear was the sound of an ear-shattering crack, and then another. Pain shot through her entire body as she rolled down a flight of stairs. Her head took a nasty blow on the final step and she felt her body go into shock, numbing itself from the pain and growing colder.

It was likely that she may pass out, but she somehow managed to stay awake, writhing in pain where she was. Her fall must not have been as steep as she realized, or even fatal. Nonetheless, she could barely move.

"D-damnit…" She gasped. Tears escaped from her eyes as she moved a shaky hand over her ribs, assessing the damage. She winced at the stinging sensation and quickly removed her hand. Blood slowly trickled down the side of her head as she lay there, waiting to be found.

She turned her aching head to the side when she noticed that she was lying partially on some sort of cloth. Her shaking hand grasped it and wrapped it around her gushing wounds and ripped clothing. It was old, and she could feel the dust on it beneath her fingertips. She hoped that it wouldn't infect the wound, but her clothes were also covered in soot so she didn't concern herself too much with it for now. It comforted her somehow, but she gasped when she got a better look at it and almost threw it away from her. Mai didn't know why, but at that moment the flag of her own home country seemed to frighten her.

Mai lifted her head and managed to get a better look at her surroundings, viewing skulls and various skeletal pieces strewn about. She had seen death at its bloodiest before, yet in her vulnerable state she felt terrified and alone. So she waited, and eventually drifted off.


	4. Chapter 4

I've been inspired to elaborate more on the Zuko/Katara affair thanks to my faithful reviews, so I hope you enjoy this one. Thanks again for everyone who's been supporting me. I'm actually very proud of this chapter.

_**This means thought. **__This means reality._ (...in the first part of the chapter.)

Warning: Mild swearing, though not enough to raise this to a Mature level I think. Let me know if you think the rating should be changed.

* * *

"_Don't do this, Mai! Please!" Zuko pleaded as he stood before her, arms stretched out. He was stubbornly grounded in a dangerous position, in between her and her target._

_Mai was fifteen years old again, going on sixteen, and standing in a familiar courtyard. Daggers in hand, she positioned herself. She knew she was swift enough to outsmart her now __**ex**__-boyfriend before he could get in her way. She knew she could finish what she started, but her body hesitated to match up to her thoughts._

"_Why… shouldn't I?" She murmured darkly to herself, questioning her ego._

_Her gaze was fixated upon the young woman before her, who was struggling to break free from her confinement. Her azure robes were pinned to a large cherry tree by smaller pocket knives, blocking her arms and legs from pulling free and Waterbending her way to safety._

"_Mai, please! I'm SO sorry! I—I…" Katara cried out in tears. "I have hurt you severely, I understand that! Please, let's work this out together!"_

"_Enough. I'm going to kill this slutty bitch for taking you away from me!" She yelled hysterically at Zuko. Her hands shook from the terror, excitement and uncertainty of everything. The crime that these two had committed against her had gone on long enough. It was all going to end, shortly._

"_Can you live your life knowing that you took someone else's life? This isn't the war, Mai!" He tried to reason with her, gazing intently at his former lover. He was trying to decide whether he should risk knocking her out cold and consequentially provoking her anger if he failed, or slowly trying to calm her down. He chose to stick with the latter, but was ready to jump in her way if she went for it. "You'll regret this for the rest of your life, I promise you that!"_

_The cries of Zuko and Katara drowned out with the sound of clinking armor approaching. She sensed that the Royal Guard would be here any minute._

"_Don't… please don't, Mai." Zuko shook his head as tears began to roll down his cheeks. He was terrified of losing Katara, but also of imprisoning the woman he once loved._

_There was a long pause between the three of them. _

_Katara's head was lowered as she occasionally released a tiny whimper or a plea. Zuko stood cemented before Mai, sweat and tears rolling down his face. His breathing became loud and jagged, his heart racing at every movement Mai made, intentionally or unintentionally. And as for Mai, it was as if time itself had stopped altogether. Guards swiftly approached them from behind and with the instant motion of Zuko's hand they stood staring intently at the scene unfolding._

_**Do I want to spend the rest of my life in prison? All for the satisfaction of getting revenge, and losing him anyway?**_

_The pupils of her eyes dilated, her body shaking anxiously. _

_**But letting them go would be letting them get away with it, wouldn't it? The lies he told me, the secret meetings they shared at night… All behind my back, in an effort to destroy us.**_

_It was now or never. The knife thrower gritted her teeth together and allowed a few stray tears fall from her eyes. Her breathing became loud and jagged as well, until she managed to bring her iron grip back to a soft, gentle grasp. _

_The spectators watched as Mai loosened her grip on one of her luckiest knives and withdrew from her hysteria. Zuko relaxed a little and decided to wait until she put it away or turned around before he would run over to his lover. She shamefully turned away from the two lovers and began to tuck the knife back into her sleeve._

"_Mai…" He sighed with gratitude. Katara let out a loud sigh of relief as well, still crying in the background. "You did the right thing, Mai."_

_She froze in placed, her fingertips still lingering on the edge of the blade. She replayed his words in her head, again and again..._

"_**You did the right thing, Mai****."**_

_**.**_

_**.  
**_

"_**The right thing."**_

_**.**_

_**.  
**_

"_**Right."**_

_**.**_

_**.  
**_

"_**Right."**_

_**.**_

_**.  
**_

"_**You did the right thing, Mai."**_

_**.**_

_**.  
**_

"_**The right thing."**_

_**.**_

_**.  
**_

"…_**Mai."**_

_In her rekindled fury, she took control of the knife and swiftly threw it straight towards the master Waterbender. _

"_NO!" Zuko cried out to Mai as he watched it fly past him, unable to stop it. _

_Terrified, he turned around, anticipating the sight of Katara's mangled corpse. Instead he turned to find her completely unharmed, with the knife mere inches away from her head. Sweat was pouring down the younger woman's face as she winced and lowered her head, her knees starting to give way from the terrifying moment that just occurred._

_Mai wasn't looking, but she heard her former lover's footsteps race toward the tree._

_She never missed, not ever. Not once. He knew that._

_She knew that he realized that at the last moment she had intentionally stopped herself from committing the unspeakable act. That's why the guards held their ground and silently, but cautiously watched her leave the grounds. That's why she wasn't dragged off to be former Fire Lord Ozai's cellmate, or worse… Azula's. _

_**I did it.**__ She admitted to herself, detaching herself from the world around her. She could no longer hear those sounds anymore. __**I did the right thing.**_

_**.**_

_**.  
**_

_**The right thing.**__ She heard his voice again._

_._

_.  
_

_**Mai…you did it…**_

_**

* * *

**_

Mai was awake, or at least she had been for the past few minutes. She hadn't realized that she had been lying awake until now. She had grown accustomed to staring up at the ceiling tiles she didn't recognize, until she realized that she didn't recognize them.

"Where…" She whispered, trying to sit up but pinned down to the bed by an unfamiliar weight. It was heavy, but she could move with it if necessary.

"I fell." She recalled, looking down. "But I didn't die…"

She saw that her bust was wrapped in a tight bind to constrict the bloody wound, but her legs luckily remained intact. She was also lying in an unfamiliar bed beside a large, bay window. There were birds outside, chirping loudly at each other, and the bustling sounds of townsfolk just outside. That's probably what stirred her from sleep, she thought.

There was a knock on the door. She was still a bit groggy so she decided not to answer and maybe sleep the day away, but whoever it was opened the door anyway. It was a Kyoshi warrior, one she recognized instantly.

"Morning, sleepyhead!"

"Morning." She replied casually. "Where's breakfast?"

"Got it right here!" Ty Lee held up the tray, taking a seat at her bedside. "You took a nasty fall." She added, trying to initiate the conversation.

"Yeah..." She said absently, suddenly remembering the dream she had.

_Did I do the right thing?_

"You hit your head. Are you alright?" Her former companion asked compassionately. When Ty Lee realized she was still holding the tray of food that Mai had been eyeing, she quickly placed it over her friend's lap.

Mai warily took a slice of bread and chewed it quietly, quickly reciting another 'Yeah…' in-between chews.

"So what happened?" Ty Lee asked more directly.

"I took a nasty fall." Mai mimicked, swallowing her food.

"Shut up!"

"It's true. You asked." She smirked. She was toying with her friend now, but she really had a lot on her mind.

"Aang carried you all the way back here." The former circus performer took a different approach. "He barely left your side the entire night, but I sent him to bed a while ago. Isn't that nice?" Her eyes sparkled a bit.

_I know where this is going…_

"Yeah, nice." Mai reiterated.

"URGH!" Ty Lee shot up from her seat, visibly becoming irritated. "You are so MEAN sometimes!"

"What do you want me to say, that I'm madly in love with my rescuer?" She laughed, albeit painfully, batting her eyelashes.

Ty Lee was taken aback by her laughter, but nodded her head vigorously. "DUH!"

"Thanks for breakfast." Mai smiled innocently, ending the conversation. The plate of food had already been devoured during their brief encounter.

"You don't even deserve lunch now!" Ty Lee replied with a darkened expression as she stormed out of the room with the tray, slamming the door shut.

Mai simply reclined back into her bed, slowly propping herself up to get a better look outside. She began to wonder how long she had been out for… a day or two, maybe? However long it was, they had made it to Kyoshi Island as planned.

_Aang…_

Aang had rescued her and she really wanted to thank him. She closed her eyes, trying to picture him carrying her in her mind. Her heart raced as heat began to rise to her cheeks picturing the sight in her mind, but she couldn't remember anything aside from the dream she had. It was more of a bad memory than a dream really, a memory that she had been suppressing for many years. Had she done the right thing?

She turned her gaze toward the ceiling again, wondering how long it would take for her to heal.

* * *

Mai quickly grew bored and it was nearly time for lunch already. She debated with herself whether or not she should ask Ty Lee for Aang's whereabouts. She needed to talk to him, or even just to see him. That's when she realized that if her legs were still intact, she might be able to walk down to see him on her own. No doubt it would be difficult though, and sneaking out of her room added to the challenge.

She swung her legs over the side of the bad, but nearly cried out in pain as her feet touched the ground. _Bad idea_, she winced. Her damaged rib cage couldn't handle swift movements like that right now.

She took a moment to recuperate before she tried standing, _slowly_. The binds around her sides were heavy, but manageable to walk in.

"There." She announced with pride, grasping the nearest bedpost to steady her.

"Okay…" Mai breathed, albeit felt a sharp pain in breathing so heavily. She could do this. She grabbed the thick, top layer of her robes and threw it on, carefully tying the tassels around her waist. She wasn't exactly dressed in her conventional way, but it seemed to work.

Apparently, walking was possible with a fractured rib cage. She was still being careful though. She slowly made her way out of her room and found that she had been staying in a room at the Kyoshi warrior's dojo. She checked the surrounding rooms, but Aang wasn't in any of them. However, one of the rooms contained articles of his clothing strewn about so she figured that he was awake.

There were warriors practicing in the training area of the dojo, so she decided to slip out the back door through the kitchen. Luckily, Ty Lee was nowhere in sight.

Mai looked around outside before heading down to the main part of the village. The villagers all seemed to be preparing for some kind of elaborate festival, setting up food stands and colored lantern lights along the main strip. She discerned from the sounds of children running by that today was Kyoshi Day, an important day in the island's history. She wondered if Aang had realized this prior to coming here. If so, then it's likely that he was being mobbed by villagers.

Mai had walked through the town with relative ease, but the deep breaths she took to keep up her stamina began to take a toll on her ribcage. But she was stubborn, and persisted to keep herself from lying in bed all day.

Aang was nowhere to be found in the village, not even near Kyoshi's statue. That's when Mai noticed the winding path leading down the beach. She reasoned with herself that this would be the last place she planned to look before she returned to the dojo. However, the path looked intimidating and she was beginning to feel tired again.

"Just a little more…" She pushed herself, wincing with every breath she took.

The road to the beach seemed farther than it looked, but she made it. A young man in orange and yellow robes stood calmly by the sea, isolating himself from the bustling crowds.

"A-Aang…" She choked out, falling to her knees. He was still so far from her. Why did she want to reach him so badly?

She knelt there for a long time, her head cast down from the brutal rays of sunlight until she heard his footsteps approaching.

"What are you doing here!" The voice called out, rushing to her side. "How did you—"

"I'm sorry." She turned to face him, wearing a sheepish smile. "I just wanted to thank you."

"Is this any way to thank me?" Aang chastised, but softened his gaze as he helped her back on her feet. "I should be the one apologizing, you know…"

"What?" She blinked, wincing as she took a necessary deep breath.

"I left you alone up there, at the temple. I was in the Spirit World and… I lost track of time." He admitted shamefully.

He paused for a moment, trying to figure out what he should do now that she was standing. He guided her movements, leaning her against him as they made their way up the road. The arm wrapped around her waist was gentle but secure, trying to avoid agitating her wounds.

"But I heard you scream, so I woke up and ran to you as fast as I could, but you were out cold when I found you. I almost thought I'd lost you…" He added sadly.

"So you carried me here…" She finished in a daze.

"Well, yeah." He blushed a bit. "Who else would have? You wouldn't wake up. It's been over a day since I found you."

She lowered her head silently.

"Mai?" He shook her gently, stopping in the middle of the road. She stirred.

"I'm okay." She reassured him, leaning her heavy head back onto his shoulder. "Fine…"

"Are we interrupting something?" Sokka and Suki asked abruptly.

Aang looked up to see Suki, Sokka and Ty Lee standing before them skeptically.

"N-no, we're fine. Mai's just tired, is all." He smiled nervously.

"We found her bed empty so we came looking for her." Suki began.

"Is she okay?" Ty Lee looked very concerned at the sight of her friend's limp exterior. She nearly rushed over to her, but stopped short as a thought occurred to her. "M-maybe you should carry her back... It's gonna be difficult helping her back to the dojo like that."

Mai shot Ty Lee a deadly glare from her vulnerable position, who responded with an innocent smile.

"I'm fine." She spoke up. "I can walk like this."

"You walked the length of the island! It's a wonder you haven't collapsed already." Sokka chimed in. "I think Ty Lee's suggestion is a good idea. Or I could carry you." He offered nonchalantly.

"Or Aang could carry you." Ty Lee elbowed the hunter in the gut.

"Ow!" He rubbed the sore spot, wondering why he deserved that.

"I don't mind." Aang offered. "I carried you all the way to the island, right? Well Appa did really, but what's one little hike up to the village?"

"Urgh." Mai groaned. "N-no…I can-"

"-You're exhausted. Let me help you." He offered again, not even giving her a chance to answer as he lifted her up in his arms, carrying her with relative ease.

Ty Lee grinned as she and the others trailed behind. Mai was too weary to protest, so she allowed him to have his way for now.

"If you get a lot of rest and feel better…" He whispered. "…then we can go to the festival together tonight, okay?" He smiled, starring down at her. She leaned her head against his chest and looked up at him in a daze, smiling back at him.

"Ty Lee…" Mai began, stirring.

"Yes!" The girl answered, in more of a cheer than a question.

"I want Fire Nation broiled steak for lunch. You're making it." She paused to take a painful breath. "I want it rare _as hell_. Bloody. Don't overdo it, or you'll have to go down to the market and get me another one." She finished with a smirk.

"WHAT?" The normally cheerful girl shrieked.

Sokka and Suki stifled a laugh as Ty Lee tried to suggest other things for her to eat. Cooking wasn't exactly her forte.

"You'll get it for me… won't you?" Mai murmured weakly. "I would but…"

"Aww! Come on, Ty Lee." Suki played along. "Won't you help your poor, old friend out in her critical condition?"

"Don't be selfish, now." Sokka added with a hearty laugh.

"Mai needs to rest. It would be great if you'd do that for her." Aang asked politely.

Ty Lee was silenced by the others and glared at her injured companion the entire way home.

"You still don't deserve lunch." She pouted.


	5. Chapter 5

I didn't mention this before but SokkaxSuki is also mentioned in this fic. If you don't like the pairing, don't worry, it's not heavy at all.

I hope you enjoy this chapter too. :)

* * *

"Ty Lee, this is ridiculous. Why can't I wear my usual robes again?" Mai stood fidgeting before a large mirror. Before she could answer, Ty Lee slipped over her friend's head a loose-fitted crimson gown.

"Because it's for a festival." The Kyoshi warrior answered simply, gently tying a golden tassel around the noblewoman's waist. "You know, I envy you for getting dressed up; I have to wear my ceremonial battle gear for our performance." She whined. "It can get so hot in this damn thing sometimes! I wish I were you right now."

"Whatever. I'm not your dress up doll, you know." Mai protested, yet did nothing to stop her.

She had taken a well-needed nap all afternoon, but when she woke up her heavy breathing in her sleep had made the pain worse. Needless to say, she was not in a good mood, even though she felt better.

"It's fun dressing you up though." Ty Lee beamed. "You look really nice, I'm sure Aang will like it."

"Look…" Mai began, wincing as she sighed. "We're just friends. He saved my life. I'm grateful, and that's all."

"Is it?" She asked skeptically.

"Yes." The injured woman shot her friend a glare. "Besides, he's too young for me." She reasoned.

"I thought he was 115?" Ty Lee questioned.

"Well, I'm too young for him then." She answered quickly.

"Why are you hesitating? I think it's great seeing you two together." The cheerful girl answered, roughly tying together two golden tassels to complete the outfit.

"Ow! That hurts!" Her friend winced. "I'm not hesitating because I'm not doing anything, period."

"You like him, I can tell." Ty Lee grinned. "Let's do your make up now."

"I do not. We were enemies once." Mai scowled, folding her arms. She fidgeted when her friend grabbed her cheeks and told her to stay still. Ty Lee began to stroke a thin black brush along the edges of her eyes to give them some depth.

"So? Look at me. I've become really close to Suki and Sokka these past few years and I tried to kill them during the war." She answered casually. "Chill out, let bygones be bygones! We live in a different time now."

"I can do my make up myself you know." Mai replied stiffly, her jaw starting to hurt a bit before Ty Lee let go.

"And why did you guys take off like that and go to the Air Temple together? You obviously care about each others feelings and trust each other on some level. I mean, it's understandable, since you've both been hurt by the same people…" The former circus performer trailed off, not wanting to head into any forbidden territory. She carefully took another brush in hand and applied some subtle hue of rose-colored paint onto her friend's lips.

When she finished, Mai answered her bitterly. "Zuko and his fiancée cornered us, remember?"

"I'm not surprised they asked you to come." Ty Lee replied thoughtfully. "Even after the… Well, you know, _the incident_."

"My giant meltdown, you mean?" Mai replied flatly, with a heavy heart.

"You're scary when you get mad, you know that? It's amazing you're not a Fire bender." Her best friend giggled, trying to lighten up the mood a bit. Mai was not amused. She no longer wanted to remember that day, jokingly or not.

Someone came knocking at the door.

"Who is it?" Ty Lee asked aloud.

"It's me." Aang's voice permeated from the wall. "Sokka and Suki are waiting downstairs. Are you guys ready?"

"Yes, we'll be right down!" She answered, before turning her attention to Mai. "You look SO beautiful!"

Mai stood up to admire Ty Lee's creation fully in the mirror. She looked beautiful, but her injury was hindering her from complementing herself with a smile. She seemed like she was scowling ever time she took in a painful breath.

"I look like a beautiful, wilting flower." The noblewoman sighed; defeated.

"Concentrate on the first part then." Her friend chimed in, quickly leading her out the doorway. "Oh no, I forgot my fan!" Ty Lee shrieked, turning around to go back for it.

Mai continued forward until she could lean against the banister overlooking the gym. She saw Sokka and Suki conversing about something with the rest of the Kyoshi Warriors. Aang stood off to the side, absently staring out the nearest window. The shaft of sunlight through the same window almost seemed to make him glow. When Aang turned around and caught sight of her, he beamed and waved to her.

Upon seeing Mai, he bashfully fidgeted in his ceremonial Air Nomad robes, which the villagers had apparently asked him to wear. She politely smiled back at him and nervously began to descend the staircase. Ty Lee quickly followed behind, announcing their presence to everyone.

"We're ready now. Let's do it, girls!" She cheered, receiving approving nods from her comrades.

"Finally." Sokka and Suki replied together, clearly annoyed.

"Don't forget your fans again, Ty Lee." Suki smirked, earning giggles from the rest of the girls.

"I didn't!" Ty Lee whined, holding up only one of her fans. "Look! Ah! Crap, I forgot the other one!" She raced back upstairs.

"_Anyway_..." Their leader continued, turning back to lecture the rest of the girls. "You know the drill girls, look sharp. Remember Mina, you're on my right this year. Tala, go behind Mina and instead…"

Aang and Mai drowned out the sounds in the room as she drifted over to his side.

"How are you feeling?" He smiled warmly. "You look beautiful..."

"Thanks." She bit her lip. "You look like you're uncomfortable in that." She thought aloud, blushing instantly. "Ah… I mean, you look nice though, I guess?"

"You're right. Airbenders feel more comfortable with the less they wear." Aang informed with a laugh, turning red. "Wow that came out wrong!" Mai rolled her eyes, laughing along with him.

"Are you two done yet?" Sokka interrupted, standing in the doorway. Everyone else had already gone outside and he clearly looked annoyed. "We're gonna be late!"

"Sorry!" Aang grinned helplessly, following the party in suit.

"Touchy, aren't we?" Mai spat, earning a glare from the Water tribesmen as she walked out last.

* * *

The Kyoshi Warriors and Ty Lee led the way down to the festival, followed by Aang and Mai with Sokka and Suki bringing up the rear. Sokka was busy staring straight ahead, agreeing with everything his girlfriend had said without paying too much attention to her.

"What's wrong, Sokka?" Suki asked, noticing that her boyfriend seemed very distracted at the moment.

"It's nothing, really. I'm sorry Suki, it's just…It's weird, isn't it?" He scowled, referring to Aang and Mai. He watched them walking side-by-side, conversing happily with each other. "Them, I mean. Getting along so well like that."

"Oh, well… It's unexpected." Suki answered honestly. "But it's kinda nice for them, I guess. It's not really any of our business."

"…I guess not. I just need to be sure that she isn't using him to get back at Zuko and Katara." He answered stiffly. "Katara shouldn't have thrown him away like that. He's a good guy; too good for Mai if you ask me."

"Katara and Aang aren't getting back together, Sokka." She reminded him. "You knew as well as I did that she and Zuko were attracted to each other during the journey. It was meant to be this way. If you're so against these two _possibly _getting together, then why don't you try getting to know Mai a bit more?"

"She might slit my throat if I say something out of turn." He mocked. "She nearly killed Katara when she found out about the affair. I wonder if Aang knows about what happened…"

"I'd try to kill you and the _other_ woman if you cheated on me, too." Suki smirked, giving her boyfriend a quick peck on the cheek.

"R-really?" Sokka asked nervously.

"Go ahead and see for yourself if you're so curious." The Kyoshi Warrior quickly opened her fan in front his face, frightening him a bit. "I have to go take the Warriors to the main plaza now. I'll see you after the show, okay?" Suki kissed him one last time before racing ahead of the group.

"See you." He murmured, pondering her words.

* * *

Mai had been thoroughly enjoying the conversation she was having with Aang, especially the part about the Elephant Koi fish, but continuously frowned the closer they got to the village. She felt like she could be herself around this younger-looking boy, despite wrestling with Ty Lee's annoying voice in her head telling her how she felt about him. But she could see that there were noticeable differences in her demeanor around him, especially how she could stand to laugh around him without feeling embarrassed. Her mother had always told her as a child that excessive laughter, meaning any whatsoever, was very unladylike except in circumstances where the lady needed to humor the other person for good measure.

"Well, duty calls." Aang finished, staring straight ahead with staff in hand.

"You'll be fine, Avatar." She nodded encouragingly, sensing a mob of villagers waiting for him just up ahead.

"I'll come find you when it's time for the performance, okay? Save me a seat." He grinned.

"I doubt anyone else will be occupying it." She pointed out realistically. "Ty Lee will be busy performing with the other warriors."

"Don't say that." He frowned. It had only just occurred to him that Mai didn't know anyone else in the village, and the people she did know really didn't know her very well. "Why don't you hang out with Sokka for a while?"

"I don't think Sokka likes me very much." She shrugged it off. _Not after what I almost did to his sister. Does he know about that?  
_

"He reminds me of you in some ways. It takes a while for him to trust people." Aang answered thoughtfully while watching a group of girls in particular making their way up the street to greet him. "Perhaps you have more in common then you realize?"

"People who are too similar butt heads with each other." She murmured, absently watching the same approaching group of girls. "It won't be easy."

"Try anyway. For me, okay?" He glanced at her and nodded encouragingly. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah…" She faked a smile as she watched him leave. "See you."

"AANGY!" One girl shrieked, giving Mai the one-up look from a distance.

"Sorry, Koko! I'm coming!" His voice drowned away with the sounds of the festival.

Mai sighed and peered around the festival, rubbing her arms from the slight evening chill. She decided that the best thing to do would be to find some place to sit for the performance, and also so she wouldn't wear herself out too early.

Mai thought that she really stuck out wearing a red dress in a crowd of people dressed in greens and browns, traditional Earth Kingdom colors. That was also how she was able to recognize Sokka amongst the crowd of people, who was wearing blue and white, trying desperately to win a carnival prize at one of the stands. Out of pure curiosity, she walked over to see what he was up to.

"C'mooooon… GIANT PANDA!" Sokka screeched, aiming the hard ball at the center of a small pyramid of cups. He waved his arms and threw the ball, missing them all together. "URGH!" He yelled out loud, clearly annoyed.

"No luck?" Mai began, trying to be nice.

"None." He replied absently, before turning to see who it was. He was taken aback by the knife thrower casually standing beside him with a plastered smile on her face. "Oh, uh, hey… Yeeeeah. I really wanted to win a prize." He answered awkwardly. _What does she want?_

"For Suki? I'm sure she'll understand." Mai fidgeted awkwardly, brushing her bangs behind her ears.

"NO WAY!" Sokka shrieked. "The Panda is for me, GOT IT? I'll… get her something smaller later." He quickly brushed off. "So, uh, what's up?"

"Want me to try?" Mai offered, though she was still unsure of what a boy her age would want with such a large stuffed animal.

"S-sure?" He raised an eyebrow, handing her the ball. "But this is my last coin…"

She flexed her toned arm and hit the ball straight in the middle, knocking down every single bottle. Sokka's jaw nearly dropped when the man handed her the giant stuffed panda bear that he greatly desired.

"Huh? I don't want this." She answered reluctantly, having forgotten about the prize altogether before she volunteered. The noblewoman turned the panda towards Sokka and shoved it in his arms. "Here. It's yours. You wanted it, didn't you?"

Sokka pouted, embarrassed to be given the stuffed Panda by a girl, much less a girl he rather disliked. He took it in his arms and held it closely to him while glaring at her.

_SOOOOO she thinks she can win me over with STUFF! Albeit really cute and fluffy stuff… So soft and cuddly and—Wait! It's gotta be a trick! Well, I won't let my guard down for A SECOND! …Though it is really cute. It's so adorable!  
_

"Ahh… You're welcome?" Mai blinked, wondering why he looked so angry and happy at the same time.

"Thanks." He muttered. "Even though I've lost all confidence as a man…"

"Are you really that surprised? I throw knives, remember?" She smirked.

"Well, I throw a boomerang and I still couldn't hit it!" He whined.

"Alright, sorry." She shrugged, turning to walk away. _So much for being nice…_

"Hey!" Sokka called out to her. "Wait up! I, uh, wanted to talk to you anyway."

"What is it?" She turned towards him again.

"Let's walk, okay?" He sighed.

"Sure…"

They walked down the main strip together, neither of them saying anything for a while. For a little while, Mai pretended not to look at him whenever he glanced at her, while he pretty much did the same thing to her.

"Let's find a seat for the performance, okay?" He asked abruptly as they approached the statue of Avatar Kyoshi.

Hundreds of seats were lined up in a circle around the statue, with some space in between for the Kyoshi Warrior's performance. Most of the seats up front were taken, so they sat further towards the back. She had hoped that Aang would find them in time for the show.

They found four unoccupied seats with a mediocre view of the stage and sat down. Sokka left one seat vacant in between him and Mai, while he sat the giant stuffed Panda upright on the fourth seat next to him.

"I hope Aang gets here in time… I guess we've still got a while though." Mai began, pretending to look around for him. She was really just trying to quench the awkwardness between them as much as possible by pretending she was busy.

"So what's going on between you two?" Sokka asked outright. "When did you guys become friends all of a sudden?"

Mai was taken aback by his curiosity. She cautiously turned towards him to engage in the conversation. "What do you mean 'what's going on?' We met up at the party." _Why is he so interested?_

"I know. He ditched us at the party to run off with you, remember?" The wolf-tailed hunter answered bitterly. "'Us' as in Toph, Suki and I. Ya know, **_the group_**."

_Shit… I forgot all about that._

"That… that was…" She hesitated. "It wasn't intentional, Sokka. Really. It was just… Zuko and Katara confronted us about the engagement and we felt that we couldn't stay." She felt her heart begin to beat at an accelerated rate. "We didn't mean to ditch you guys."

"Yeah, yeah, I heard about all that. And I understand that you guys had it rough when Zuko and my sister became a couple. Oh yeah, speaking of Katara…" He paused, wearing a stern gaze. Her eyes narrowed when she realized what he was getting at. "Don't try to hide it, because I know what happened three years ago."

Sokka paused again, angrily eying the stoic expression on Mai's face.

"You completely flipped out at them and lost your mind! You almost killed her!" He continued, losing his temper and raising his voice. "You almost killed my sister! And you expect me to trust you just like that?"

Mai remained silent as her bangs naturally fell in front of her eyes.

"Let me make this… _perfectly _clear." Sokka began darkly. "You were our enemy, and unlike Ty Lee you never became our friend. You're _**not**_ one of us. So if you're using Aang just to get back at them, then I won't hesitate to get in your way! I won't let you hurt him just to get back at them!"

"What? How dare you! I would never use him or anyone like that!" She stood up angrily, earning a few curious glances from surrounding bystanders. "We became friends because we were both hurt by the same people! We both share a common pain… It's something you couldn't understand, Sokka."

"Does Aang know about what you did?" He countered.

Mai paused for a moment to think. "But I didn't go through with it…"

"Does he know about what you tried to do then?" He asked swiftly.

"…We haven't known each other very long but I was going to—"

"When?" Sokka spat, rising from his seat. "When were you going to? When he's already fallen for you?"

"What are you talking about?" She breathed heavily, wincing from the pain of her injury. _Damn it… I'm not supposed to overexert myself._

"Don't play that card." He angrily ignored her pained expression. "The others might trust you but I can see through it! You know he'll hate you for it when he finds out, or at least he'll never trust you again. He's forgiving, almost to a fault, but he would never forgive anyone who tried to hurt Katara! He loves her still, you know. She was foolish to let him go..."

"I… I know that." She lowered her gaze. "And she was foolish for doing that. But I'm not trying to trick anyone though! I truly care about him as a friend, even if you don't see that. I've changed. I'm not who I used to be, and it's taken a lot for me to get to where I am today… It's never been easy." She closed her eyes, recalling everything that had happened.

"I refuse to trust you." Sokka replied stubbornly. "And why should I? You can't prove anything! You're just a spoiled, obnoxious member of high society who gets whatever she wants, and flips out when things don't go her way! If you really care about him, then you should just leave him alone and go back to your life in Omashu. He'll get over Katara, in time."

"What the hell would that prove?" Mai shouted, her blood beginning to boil.

She still couldn't believe what she was hearing. Who was he to tell her who she was and what she should do with her life? How did he know what was best for Aang, and especially for her? Yet, underneath it all, the guilt began to set in as she painfully processed everything he had said to her. She froze in place as she felt that stinging sensation reach her eyes.

Sokka continued after a long pause. "Look, what he needs is to get away from his problems, not be constantly embittered about them by hanging around you. He's a good person, Mai. And you're just… just…"

He had earned a swift slap across the face. That did it for her.

"Just a _monster_, right?" She finished for him.

Even though she knew that violence wouldn't help her convince him that she wasn't a bad person, she was just sick of everything and everyone around her trying to define who she was.

"Ow…" He winced as he touched his swollen cheek. He thought about it for a moment before giving her this smug stare when he realized that a few people were watching them, "Well, I guess that just proves my point then."

"You don't know _**shit**_ about me, so stop acting like you do!" She exploded in rage, captivating the attention of the surrounding audience.

"A slap in the face doesn't prove any of that—only that you earned it for not listening to anything I had to say and trying to tell me how to live my life! So go ahead and say what you want about me, but I'm not leaving unless I'm not wanted here. And I am, and not just by Aang! So you're just going to have to deal with that! And even if you manage to tell him about what happened before I do, I know that even if he's angry with me, he'll be a man about it and listen to what I have to say. Not throw a **_childish_** temper tantrum, like you! You have every right to be angry with me about your sister, as does Aang. But your cowardly tactics won't work on me, Sokka!" Now red in the face, her breathing had become shrill and unsteady. She was really feeling the pain in her chest now, though she tried her best not to show it.

"Tch." Sokka spit off to the side, sitting himself back down in his seat.

Mai glared at every single person who had witnessed the conversation and waited until they had turned around like nothing happened. When she had calmed down a bit, she sat back down in her seat with her arms folded. She refused to let Sokka scare her away and held her ground. He was clearly annoyed that she didn't wind up running off somewhere, especially when Aang came back carrying a ton of junk food, just as the Kyoshi Warriors took to the stage.

"Hey guys, I brought TONS of snacks!" He announced cheerfully, dropping half of them on the floor as he took his seat. "Hey Sokka, cool Panda! Is that for Suki?"

"IT'S FOR ME!" Sokka overreacted. "It's MY panda, ALRIGHT?"

Aang look startled and confused. "Okaaay. Hey Mai, want some gummy platypuses?"

"Sure." She answered curtly, reaching into his bag of candy without glancing at him.

"...What happened to you guys?" Aang sensed intuitively, looking at Sokka and then back at Mai for some kind of explanation.

"Shhh! It's starting." Sokka snapped.

Aang frowned and decided to pursue this further, after the performance.


End file.
